News Tamil Nadu

BJP TN Chief Annamalai Quotes EVR To Lash Out DMK’s Anti-Hindi Politics

October 17, 2022
The Commune

BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai came down heavy on the DMK over its recent attempt to stoke anti-Hindi sentiments in the state.

Launching a scathing attack on the DMK, the BJP leader said “Today in Tamil Nadu, the biggest misery that people have to bear is the atrocious behaviour of DMK functionaries, their MLAs and Ministers. From the cadres at the bottom to the ministers at the top, not a day goes by for them without denigrating and tormenting people. That the Hon’ble Chief Minister himself lamenting in his party’s General Council Meeting that he is unable to sleep because of his partymen, is testimony to the dire situation in the state.”

Mr. Annamalai said that whenever people begin to realize the pinch of the DMK’s harsh rule, it puts into effect is its imaginary ‘Hindi imposition’ toolkit pointing out to the various failures of the DMK government.

“Instead of focusing on fulfilling the promises on which it rode to power, the incompetent DMK government has been solely focused on advertising without doing any work. Rampant corruption has become the order of the day.”, he said.

“What action has been taken against the Ambur MLA who reportedly demanded 40% commission? People are dying every three months falling into the open illegal mining activities which are being exploited with the approval of those in power. What has been done to curb this? The DMK leadership is gleefully watching its mercenaries fomenting caste and religious hatred while cracking down on those who voice out their protest against the abusive and obscene remarks made by anti-Hindu elements. Has any action been taken against those who spew venom out of divisive interests? ” Annamalai further added.

The BJP leader noted that it is maybe because of the fact that the anti-Hindi agitation helped the DMK come to power in 1967, the party till date resorts to this time-tested toolkit with cries of Hindi imposition emerging from Arivalayam every now and then.

He aso pointed out that the seeds of anti-Hindi agitation were first sown by Saivite saints and Tamil scholars like Eezhathu Sivananda Adigal when Rajaji made Hindi compulsory back in 1938. 

“However, to this date, the DMK has been peddling that it was ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy Naicker who spearheaded the anti-Hindi agitations.”, he said.

Mr. Annamalai also quoted E.V. Ramasamy Naicker to hit out at DMK’s anti-Hindi politics.

“In 1965, the DMK launched the anti-Hindi campaign in the run up to the elections. But here is what ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy Naicker had said which the DMK folks will never tell you.” and went on to quote EVR.

“The scam that happened in the name of anti-Hindi agitation. If only four scamsters were shot in the beginning itself, this vandalism wouldn’t have caused so much loss of life and property. What is the law for? Why are the police there? Why do the police have lathi and gun? Why? To give a kiss? What kind of a government is this? Onion government!”, these were the words of ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy Naicker which has been documented in the book “Hindi Edhurpu: Andrum Indrum” (“Anti-Hindi: Then And Now”), Annamalai said.

He also quoted another quote of EVR: “My opposition to Hindi is not because I don’t want Hindi or I want Tamil. My opposition to HIndi is because I want English to be made the common language, the language of the government, the language of Tamil Nadu, and the mother-tongue in Tamil Nadu homes.” – these were the words of ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy Naicker published in his mouthpiece ‘Viduthalai’ dated 27 January 1969.

He also pointed out that the mausoleums of leaders who died fighting for the Tamil language remains unattended and unmaintained.

“The leaders who died fighting for the Tamil language – Thalamuthu, Natarajan, Dr. Dharumambal – are any of their family members leaders of the DMK? Are they at least in key responsibilities in the party? Their mausoleums languish unattended and unmaintained. Will the DMK leaders including Hon’ble CM Stalin who make a huge hue and cry about Tamil language and resort to anti-Hindi politics care to answer this?”, Annamalai said.

Mr. Annamalai also noted that the National Education Policy 2020 lays emphasis on mothertongue education for the first time.

Pointing out to the pathetic state of Tamil education in the state, Annamalai said ”

In 2020, the number of students studying Class 12 stood at 4,23,278. According to the AICTE data, only 50 students enrolled in engineering courses in Tamil for the academic year 2021-22. Of the 1.9 lakh engineering seats, only 1377 seats are there for engineering courses in Tamil.  According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) report, only 40% of class 5 students in the state are able to read a simple story in Tamil that is of Class 2 level. This is how the ‘Dravidian Model’ has preserved Tamil language.”

He also asked why the CM MK Stalin omitted the fact about the Official Language Committee recommendations that had called for giving importance to Tamil and all regional languages.

“It has been over eight decades since the first anti-Hindi agitations happened. CM Stalin should introspect whether Tamil language has been protected in Tamil Nadu and what measures his party has taken to propagate Tamil language across India. At least from now, we hope that the DMK refrains from fanning separatism and deceiving people with its false narratives.”, he said.

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